A snapshot of English summer – on the beach

The coast of England, and many of its towns, popularly known as ‘seaside resorts’ are undergoing something of a renaissance; and I saw more evidence for myself on a vist to Dorset earlier this week.

Background briefing
I bet you didn’t know that Scarborough in Yorkshire was established as the first English seaside resort as early as 1626, when a Mrs Elizabeth Farrow discovered a stream of acidic water running from one of the cliffs south of the town, giving birth to Scarborough Spa, which soon began attracting many visitors to take the waters there. In addition  medical experts including Richard Russell  in 1750 cottoned on to the idea of recommending the health benefits of bathing in Brighton salt water.

Ironically  the health benefits of bathing in salt and mineral rich water in places like Thermae Bath Spa (which I wrote about in September last year) is once again being recognised today -  illustrated by the successful marketing, and efficacy of  natural salt and mineral products sourced from places like the Dead Sea, years after consumers began to sneer at luridly coloured bath salts and bath cubes (remember them!) marketed in  1960s and 70s Britain, and poor sales plummeted the concept into temporary oblivion.

People were only able to travel long distances from urban and industrial concentrations of population to English seaside resorts in large numbers following the arrival of the railways, (which first came to Scarborough in 1845); although a few other easily accessible southern coastal towns such as Bognor Regis, Margate, and Brighton and other more northerly centres such as Morecambe and Skegness had begun to develop an initially local following amongst gentry and royalty. Only the wealthy could afford the expense of travelto the coast by stage coach or carriage, and later, paddle steamer, to escape the stifling and stinking summers suffered in great conurbations like Manchester and London, during the industrial revolution.

Bournemouth, where I found myself last week, is 200 years old this year. The heyday of English seaside resorts, when people came in their droves to enjoy the beaches, amusements and nightlife, ran roughly from the coming of the railway in the mid Victorian era, to the advent of package holidays in the 1970s. Then even the most well established and up market English resorts, including places like Bournemouth, and Torquay in Devon, began to notice the family market for long summer holiday breaks suffering a noticeable decline. The   visitor economy of coastal towns was forced to become more reliant on income from day visitors and people travelling on short breaks  by car as well as train, as the masses increasingly started jetting off to roast on the beach under virtually guaranteed Mediterranean sun.

From the early 1970s, holiday packages at affordable prices were provided by operators such as Thomson, Horizon and Clarksons, and the market for them literally took off, to the detriment of English seaside resorts. It soon necessitated the most seriously affected local authorities in English resorts trying to identify ways and means of regenerating themselves and appealing to new markets. The consequence was a process of re-invention which continues to this day.

The inside track on the rejuvenation of Bournemouth

I saw first hand what happened in Bournemouth in the 1970s, as I was living there as a student at the time. Undoubtedly it was one of the luckier English coastal towns, being blessed with a superb location, on a sweeping bay of golden sand sheltered by low cliffs, punctuated by narrow pathways called ‘chines’. These features allow direct pedestrian access to the beach from the town, which is dotted attractively with pine trees and public gardens.

It also helps that the coast around here enjoys spectacular views, with the protective chalk downlands of Purbeck along the western horizon, the Isle of Wight to the south east, and the New Forest National Park on its eastern fringe, which come together to make Bournemouth a great touring base.

The problem has always been that in England it can rain, even in summer. In the 1970s people who’d grown up used to wet weeks in the English west country, wanted a summer holiday with uninterrupted sunshine, something that seems to have far less importance nowadays. In fact what we now appreciate is that occasional rain has the benefit of keeping the surrounding English countryside relatively green in summer, compared to Mediterranean countries!

For a while, in 1970s Bournemouth, as in other coastal towns, misfits, substance abusers and social outcasts started to move in to vacant accommodation in the more run down area around the Lansdowne and Boscombe. In Bournemouth it was initially the success of English language schools, such as Anglo Continental in Wimborne Road; and later the new University campus at Wallisdown, that helped to turn things around, bringing in large numbers of  students, many coming initially to learn the language; and incidentally taking advantage of the inexpensive accommodation on offer (then). Many enjoyed their time in the town so much that they stayed on after their studies to work in the area, adding to the cosmopolitan atmosphere, and helping to secure Bournemouth’s  future success.

The Bournemouth International Centre then opened in 1984 to replace the ageing  Winter Gardens on the West Cliff, and The Pavilion (which has now been restored) in the centre of town, as a conference venue. This helped bring in more year-round business, and prevented the defection of valuable regular business from political party conferences and other organised groups, as well as providing a new venue for concerts by the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, contemporary musicians and other events and productions.

It’s undoubtedly helped that Bournemouth has had a lot of great PR for high profile seafront housing development, especially in Branksome and the Sandbanks Peninsula; but also for the regenerated Boscombe area and its controversial surf beach, which I wrote about in November last year. Although coverage received by this latter project has been more mixed, from the evidence of my recent visits I still think it’s likely to be destined for long term success, assuming that the surf reef’s remaining teething problems can be successfully ironed out. The town has also helped put itself on the map with regular open air continental markets held in The central Square, and The Bournemouth Balloon, a tethered installation which ascends to a height of over 150 metres, and allows spectacular views up to 20 miles distant from its base in the Lower Gardens.

Similar spectacular coastal view experiences are also available at Portsmouth’s Spinnaker Tower at Gunwharf Quays and Brighton is planning a new tower, i360 at West Pier.

Summer 2010 highlights

If you’re looking to hire a surf pod at Boscombe surf beach or a beach hut on your visit to Bournemouth this summer you can book online subject to availability on the Visit Bournemouth website.

You’ll also find some great beachfront cafes strung out along Bournemouth Bay. When I visited the excellent Bistro on the Beach at Southbourne for lunch on a cloudy Wednesday last week, there were no window tables left by 12.45, so if you want one make sure you get there early! They also open for breakfast and for dinner on Fridays and Saturdays, and a new takeaway kiosk has opened for the first time there this year. There’s another well located beachfront cafe at Branksome, and the exclusive Cafe Shore at Sandbanks looks great, but I haven’t actually tried either personally, as yet.

If you want an adrenaline rush and a ‘guaranteed bad hair day’ during your visit, it’s on offer on high speed powerboat trips around Bournemouth Bay and further afield, at Adventure cruises of Christchurch, based at nearby Mudeford Quay. Bournemouth Air Festival, an annual event in August offers a more exciting land based spectacle.

I understand that day trips to Bournemouth, and Weymouth, location of the sailing events for the London 2012 games, by steam train from London are available on limited dates this summer. More information. I have no experience of this operator, so my mention of this service cannot constitute a recommendation.

If you like what I write
If you’re part of an organisation looking to outsource PR or marketing services, or want help with your digital content strategy, my company Manifold Associates could provide the solution you’re looking for.  We’re happy to work with existing suppliers in a collaborative environment, and can work with your team to identify and brief new types of specialist service providers you might need, such as professional photographers. Contact us for more information.

Until next time…

Summer’s here and the living is easy!

I went to Gatwick airport this weekend. On a Friday afternoon in July I expected it to be busy, yet the Easyjet check in at North Terminal check in was quiet.  I didn’t have a problem getting a space on the first floor of the short term car park, and I came away glad that I wasn’t flying off to the Med myself. It’s another staycation for me this summer, and it’s already apparent that I’m not alone.

Thanks to factors as varied as the threat of the volcanic ash cloud returning,  people who’ve had their holiday budgets blown by the last Icelandic eruption, to fear of ongoing recession, the World Cup, and the simply fantastic weather that saw Wimbledon fortnight 2010 uninteruppted by rain, all the cicumstantial evidence that I’m aware of seems to point to another boom year for UK staycationing.

Buy produce and learn about fruit growing in The Garden of England

When the weather’s good there’s simply no place like England in summer, and it’s been beautiful in the south these past few weeks. In Kent, aka ‘The Garden of England’, the cherry season is now in full swing – always something I particularly look forward to. At Brogdale, near Faversham, home of the national fruit collection, they held their cherry festival this weekend.

If you live in Kent, are here on holiday, or planning a visit, Brogdale is a great place to buy and learn about the various fruits grown in Kent. Indeed if you want to learn about actually growing your own fruit, Brogdale is one of the best places to come, as you can go on guided tours of the orchards and nut platts and buy the various plants, bushes and trees, which are also sold online. They have a seasonal programme of fruit related events too. This year’s programme is typical:

Cherry festival	July	10 – 11
Plum Day	August	15
Nut Day	September	19
Cider Festival	September	25 – 26
Apple festival	October	23 – 24

Where to find the best cherries

In my humble opinion though, the very best cherries of all are those sold at The Cherry Basket, a pop-up roadside kiosk on the north side of the Cranbrook road outside the village of Goudhurst, in Kent, half a mile beyond the Taywell Farm shop (a good place incidentally for local asparagus, blueberries and strawberries).

The Cherry Basket is only ever there from late June until mid July annually, so catch it while you can – it’s well worth waiting for! That’s my latest picture of their produce above.   This year these most succulent of cherries cost £5.50  per kilo basket. They’re just the best, and there’s absolutely nothing like eating them fresh, straight from the stall. The carefully netted trees where they grow can be seen in the fields right alongside, and you can just taste the freshness.

NEW – what to do when you find something you like in Kent

Share your secrets with the world on the brand new My Kent website.

What I can do for you

As well as being a Kentish cherry fan and active blogger, I’m a content strategist. If you represent a business or a destination management organisation, and you’re looking to outsource, I’m someone who can research, interpret, contextualise and produce original multi-platform content for you, and commission the images to go with it. If  you’re interested in finding out more, contact me at Manifold Associates.

Until next time…

An insiders guide to making an exhibition of yourself

When I was recently offered the opportunity of showcasing my business at a consumer exhibition, I jumped at the chance. It seemed to offer a good opportunity to see if I could  generate some local sales leads, even although it meant giving up a precious day of my time over a weekend, usually reserved as sacrosanct family time. However I soon discovered, whether you’re a visitor to an exhibition, or an exhibitor hosting a stand, if it’s a summer event, there can be a lot to think about. One thing’s for sure, during the course of the day I learned a lot!

Supporting charity
The exhibition was part of a community open day for the Kent air ambulance, and held at their headquarters and operational base. The life saving air ambulance service of Kent is entirely dependent upon the community, particularly the groups, clubs, business, organisations and individuals who fundraise on its behalf. It happens to be based in our local village, and is a real lifesaver when major incidents or serious road traffic accidents occur. I’ve seen how it the benefited a local farmer we know, who was seriously injured in a tractor accident on neighbouring land, some distance from the nearest road.

I try to support local charities, and it’s something clients notice long term, on a subliminal level. That’s why I make sure I always buy Kent Air Ambulance Christmas Cards, and contribute to their fundraising activities when I can.

Some of the interesting ways Kent Air Ambulance create an additional buzz for visitors of all ages on their open day, which is aimed mainly at fundraising from the general public, is to bring in children’s amusements, vintage car owners clubs, and an entertaining Star Wars costuming group called UK Garrison.

How weather plays a part

If an event is partially held outdoors, as this one always is, the weather can be an important influence on overall success. This is something that exhibitors and visitors need to bear in mind. On this occasion the event was held on one of the hottest days of the year (so far).

One has to dress appropriately for temperatures approaching 30ºC and high humidity, which dictated an airy linen dress for me (linen or silk, blended with cotton as a less expensive alternative,  are usually the best bet for the more formal items of clothing when it’s really hot), and comfortable shoes. There’s nothing more off putting for visitors than a perspiring exhibitor!

You don’t want to look like you’re suffering from stress if you hope to make a positive and favourable impression on people. My advice is check the weather forecast and dress accordingly, and go for a layered look if there’s any uncertainty. Exhibition visitors will also feel more comfortable heeding this advice.

Another aspect to consider is the effect of extreme temperature on plant displays. In these times of austerity it seemed appropriate to use skills honed in the local church flower arranging circle to save on the cost of decorating my stand, by creating two fresh flower arrangements myself. My arrangements included some billowy pink peonies from the garden. In spite of overnight conditioning, some of the peonies began to wilt noticeably in the heat. By mid afternoon it became necessary to remove two blooms that had begun to go brown round the edges. Keep everything watered, and whisk away any dead or dying stuff – at exhibitions appearances count for a lot.

Postioning considerations

I was lucky that my stand was postioned by an entrance, which is usually a high traffic area, (retail experts call this space with high footfall), and therefore with greater potential to generate stand visitors.  Corner spots are often good too, as you can capture visitors passing in two directions. Premium stand positions may be priced to exhibitors at a premium. In this case try at least to get an ‘early bird rate’ by committing to exhibit early on.

Something I hadn’t thought about at all was air flow. I’d decided to use multi coloured helium balloons to help attract attention to my stand. It wasn’t a bad idea, but what I didn’t realise was that a position by a door can mean a strong one way draught develops, and my balloons were being dragged in unwanted directions across the front of the stand and into a neighbouring space. So I had to forget the long weighted strings I’d planned to use to display them either side of my stand, and tether them on a shorter string to the pole adjacent to the entrance. Take some duct or gaffer tape as a contingency.

Creating an impact on your stand

Hosting an exhibition stand involves capturing the interest of passing visitors, who as a matter of course usually try and avoid eye contact.  This is somewhat unnerving at first, but you can use the implications to your advantage. Here are a few other ideas I’ve picked up:

• Have a handout, which explains what you do at a glance, and what the stand is all about. It gives you an excuse to accost people as they pass.
• Offer a business card prize draw in a glass bowl. It can be useful for generating leads and has the benefit of forcing people to venture up to your desk.
• Branded carrier bags can work well, but make them tasteful and give thought to relevant but lightweight content.
• Everyone attending an exhibition likes to pick up free stuff and have something to put it in, but most gets thrown away later, unless it’s attractive, genuinely useful or both. No one wants anything heavy or tacky.
• Signage and display material should support your message; but at a glance.
• Pop up banners are a great idea, but give careful thought to the format and content in detail, or the investment can be wasted. Have your name and logo prominently on the top, not at floor level where people can’t see it, let alone read it.
• Draft a bulleted list of services offered, and try and use one, or perhaps two, clear graphics or representational images to illustrate what’s on offer in your handout. Make sure to include contact information and your website address.
• Avoid assuming that visitors understand jargon words or acronyms.  For example, if you’ve won an award it’s better to imagine explaining it to someone outside your industry sector, and explaining in full each word making up the constituent letters.
• Hand out business cards, so bring a good stock, and collect them from visitors if it’s a trade show. Consumers won’t have them though; so you must either ensure you give them a reason, or way, to remember you, or you must solicit their contact details, for example by collecting competition entries!Otherwise you have no way to follow up their interest.
• Tell your friends and business contacts you have an exhibition stand. They’ll probably enjoy coming to see someone they know, and it gives you an opportunity to update them on new services or developments they’re likely to be interested in.
• Watch the inimitable Geoff Burch’s guide to making an exhibition of yourself on You Tube

Give thought to taking a break

If you’re in the awkward position, like I was, of running an exhibition stand on your own, give thought to a way of allowing yourself time to take breaks. I persuaded my husband to look after things while I took a lunch break, and this also had the benefit of allowing me enough time to visit other stands and distribute my handout.  It probably doesn’t look good to have to eat  lunch in front of visitors to your own stand.

My final piece of advice is to make friends with fellow exhibitors at stands nearby. They might be prepared to reciprocate if you agree to mind their stand for a few minutes, and you never know, they might even be interested in what you have to offer.

Taking things further

As well as occasionally making an exhibition of myself , if you run a small business, I can teach  you DIY PR and marketing skills. For larger organisations looking to outsource, I can deliver PR and marketing related training workshops and help with  content strategy on a freelance basis. For more information about the services we offer, contact me at Manifold Associates or visit our website.

Until next time…